Thanksgiving

As a defender of the great holiday of Thanksgiving I feel a need to post something in regards to this wonderful season. There are so many things we have to be thankful for, even the things that seem small and insignificant. In class this week I had each student share at least one thing they were thankful for. I love how simple children are and how they can find joy in so many different things.

Here are some things I am thankful for: First of all my family, I am so lucky to have a family that loves me and that I know will do anything in their power to help me. To have a brother that is my best friend, a mom that is fighting through cancer treatment and the blessing she recieved from our Bishop that she would live, and a dad who can make me laugh.

I am also thankful for my wonderful friends. I have been so blessed to have friends that have stuck together. We just can't get rid of each other, even those that are married, we all try and see each other at least a few times a year. I wish we saw each other more, but I know they are still there for me if I need them, and I would do anything for them. I also have such great friends here at my apartment, life without them would be uber lame.

I am grateful for a job and money in this time of economic difficulties. I am glad I worked hard to graduate at the age of 23, two and a half years after I got home from my mission, so I could be where I am today. I love my job and have grown a lot. The kids make everything worth it, even with the hard times.

I could go on and on forever, I could talk about how I am thankful for grapefruit, trees, sports, lettuce, air, water, freedom, the gospel, indoor plumbing, carbohydrates, grass, clouds, hydrogen, music, blankets, hands, health, the list goes on and on. I hope we each can take some time to really think about how good we have it here. I know I for one am very thankful, Happy Thanksgiving!

What a Difference

This week has been amazing! I told myself last Sunday that this week was going to be a good week, and it was. Of course it is easy to have a good week when the one previously may have been the hardest week you have ever had in your life. Life really is what you make it, hard times happen to each of us. You can either let those times get you down, or you can refocus yourself and overcome them. I feel like this week I really showed myself what I was made of. Now I just have to stay focused, keep giving my all, and continue to improve myself everyday. I have learned so much this year. It is amazing how much we can grow when we allow ourselves to be humble and have a desire to learn from our mistakes. Here is to another great week! What a difference one week can make.

Sports = Joy

When I have a week like I have had this week, it is great to have something to look forward to. Yesterday I stayed after school until 5:30 working on a math lesson for Monday with my Vice Principal. After spending an hour and a half with her I still had no idea what I was going to teach, talk about frustrating. I then spent over half an hour talking to the teacher next door to my classroom who was still there working. Leaving school at 6:15 on a Friday night was not my idea of fun, especially when I had nothing to show for it.

I pulled into my apartment complex about 6:45, frustrated and glad the week was over at least. Then I remembered that the Jazz play in fifteen minutes! A small smile slowly came to my face. Maybe it's a little silly to let something as seemingly unimportant as basketball determine my happiness, but hey, I needed it yesterday.

I love playing sports, I am so glad that I played on three BYU intramural sports teams this semester. I looked forward to those games more than anything, especially soccer. The feeling you get when you make a great play is like nothing else. To feel like you are in control of your own destiny, working together with a group of friends, with one goal in mind, is pure joy.

We are blessed right now in the sports world. The Jazz have the best record in the NBA, as one of only three teams that have not lost yet, and having one more win than the other undefeated teams. BYU has been ranked and finding ways to win all season, Real Salt Lake made it into the playoffs for the first time in its short history, and Team Girl Squad is going to be the BYU intramural soccer champions of the world! Long live sport! Thank you for making the hard days a little easier to get through.